Bleach: Purgatory War
by Barrett M107
Summary: AU. The Soul Society has been at peace for centuries now. Hollows come and go, they are purified and the Soul Reapers go about their days. They live, and they fight and then go back to living. It's been this way for a long time now. A new war is on the Horizon - "We have grown attached to existence...You threaten that...You will not end me. The Falskur will live. So says the Einn"
1. Chapter 1

**This is yet another story I'll be doing at my leisure. ****I've been wanting to publish it for a while and I've finally done it :)  
**

**This story is completely AU. There will be _no_ canon characters appearing now or ever. It's my OCs and some OCs from people I know on here. If you still read this story, then thank you very much for giving it a chance :) **

* * *

_Blue eyes snapped open. He gasped. Cold air rapidly filled his lungs; it felt as though every nerve, every molecule that made his very being was given a jolt. The numbness he had felt disappeared almost instantly and he was suddenly aware of his existence. He panted. He watched his breath, visible as wisps of white, leave him and fade away._

_He starred down at the long white shadow cast across the ground which began at his feet._

"_I'm here again…" He murmured. A cool breeze passed through disturbing his black robes and his hair. He reached up to push back his backs that were whipping at his face. He watched as a white mist crept toward him and he closed his eyes for a moment. It was cold, if only for a moment, after that he no longer felt it. The breeze stopped. Everything stopped.  
_

"_Hello…" His voice was barely audible. He brought his hand down and he folded his hands in front of him. He bowed._

_Before him was a massive purple spiked tortoise shell with a silver underbelly. The once cold mist poured out from the openings for the legs. A rumbling sighed sounded from within the massive shell and a wave of white mist surged past him. He winced. This time it was muggy and warm. Sweat was already beading on his forehead by the time it passed._

"_**You… I have been sleeping… Is there something you require of me?" **__Pupiless yellow eyes opened within the darkness of the shell. They looked down upon him__**.**_

"_I was…" He gulped, he kept his head bowed before the giant beast, "Will you tell me… Why do you sleep all of the time?"_

"_**I have no need to be awake." **_

"_You've said that before… But what does that mean? I fight like any other Soul Reaper…" His gaze lowered to his feet. His hands weakly balled in to fists at his sides._

"_**The power you require… To protect… That is what I give you..."**_

"_But you're holding back, I can… I think I can feel it… Someone could be killed!" _

"_**I exist… Because you exist… We are of the same being which is you… Your concerns are my concerns… My concerns do not involve the protection of others."**_

"_W – what?"_

"_**And thusly, I sleep... I have no reason to wake, as I said. My shell will protect you. That is all… Begone… I am tired now, I wish to sleep more."**_

"_But… Uh… You're speaking in riddles again…" He whispered, "I – I… I understand," He watched as the shell partially sunk in to the darkness beneath it as if it were water, creating a white ripple effect, "I'm sorry… if I was an inconvenience to you… I hope you have a peaceful slumber." The cold mist began to swirl around his feet and climb up his body. He was soon engulfed by the mist._

"_Until next time… I suppose," His final words faded out. The mist gradually died down and it was absorbed in to the darkness._

"_**Sigh…"**_

* * *

"WAKE UP, ALL YOU MAGGOTS!"

"Waah!" He fell to the floor with a crash, becoming tangled up with his comforter.

"Kendo training will begin at o'eight-hundred! That means all seated officers have ten minutes to report to the training field! Ten minutes! So get your butts in gear!" A rather angry sounding voice could be heard all throughout the Sixth Division, and undoubtedly far beyond there as well. Tenteikura was an effective Kido to say the least.

"Aah! Ack! Dammit!" the young man who had been so abruptly woken up kicked and thrashed to try and free himself. He struggled, and he finally managed to escape. He sat up, gasping for air. He was red in the face. He put a hand over his heart, "Oh my…"

"Five minutes!" He heard the call from outside and he froze. The blood in his veins ran cold, and if he could've seen himself, he would've seen his skin turn some shades lighter.

"Oh crap!" He shouted, jumping up. His Captain would be absolutely furious of even _one_ of the seated officers missed morning practice! And she'd take it out on _everyone_! He moved as quickly as he could. He had no time to shower or make up his futon. With speed that would make members of the Stealth Force jealous, he switched from his white sleeping robes in to the standard black shihakusho of the Soul Reapers.

He grabbed his zanpakuto, and he held it between his teeth by the middle. With one hand he went about tying his obi around his waist and the other he went about, "Cwap cwap cwap!" He made it to the door, and just as he moved to open it, one of the straw straps of his tabi snapped, and he slipped.

"Aaagh!" He crashed through his bedroom shoji, tearing it off its hinges and snapping it in to pieces as he hit the floor with a resounding thud, "… Ooow…" He groaned; face down on the wooden floor.

Aekichi Sawadane, eighth seat of Squad Six. He appeared to be young, in his early twenties. He was of average height, perhaps below. His dark blue hair went to his chin, with bangs swept to the right to cover his right eye. He dressed in the normal black shihakusho of the Soul Reaper.

"C'mon, Sawadane!" The blue haired Soul Reaper weakly raised his head to see a trio of Soul Reapers jogging toward him. Each of them used the Soul Reaper's high speed technique, Shunpo, and they skipped over him to continue down the walkway, "You better not get the Captain on our asses! Get your butt in gear!" Aekichi reached out to them.

"Don't leave me here!" He called after them, "B – but… Ehhh?!"

"One of us being late is better than two or three," A male Soul Reaper said, leaping over Aekichi and the remains of his door, "But you had better not be late! Last time was hell!"

"…Ehhh?!"

* * *

***Gulp… Gulp…* **

"Aaah! That hits the spot!" The seated officers of Squad Six who had gathered before the deadline watched their Captain drink heavily from a red sake dish three times the size of most. She had five bottles at her side, three of which they all knew were empty because they had been turned upside down, as was her habit.

They all stood at attention at the spots designated to them, with their arms at their sides, the backs straight and heads up. They knew their captain, and they knew protocol.

"Ne, Naosuke! More sake!" She raised her dish to the man standing next to her.

He smiled sheepishly, "Captain Ishihara, I think you've had enough. You should at least be sober enough for this morning's kendo motions."

Sakuya Ishihara. Of the thirteen captains that made up the court guard squads, she was Captain of Squad Six.

"Eehhh?! Are you denying an order from your Captain, _Lieutenant_?" She slurred, pointing an accusing finger at him.

"No no no…" He shook his head, remaining calm despite the threat of certain danger. He remained collected despite having her angered glare focused on him, "But you've had quite a lot to drink. You won't be able to stand, much less train at this rate."

Naosuke Kawano, the Lieutenant of Squad Six. He stood at average height with short, cropped brown hair. He wore the standard black shihakusho of the Soul Reapers, with his Lieutenant's badge wrapped around his right upper arm and his zanpakuto at his side.

"What're you on about?!" Naosuke was struck in the head by a flying sake dish. He kept his head titled after the strike, but appeared unfazed, "I've fought Adjuchas drunk and came out with a few nicks and scrapes! And that was just from stumblin' around, mind you! Training you lot with a bit of a buzz going would be nothing at all!" She grabbed one of the two other sake dishes on her other side and raised it.

"More sake!"

"Ehehehe… Right away, Captain Ishihara," He sighed with a smile. He grabbed one of the sake bottles and went to pouring her drink. Drops of sweat hung above the heads of some seat officers. Few deadpanned as well. It was times like this some wished they were part of a squad with a more level-headed Captain.

They all snapped to attention, eyes looking straight forward, and their bodies as stiff as boards.

"Ah, times up then," Sakuya heavily drank from her sake dish, gulping down what there was in a few seconds. She sighed, a smile spread across her face and cheeks flushed, "All right! Let's get to…" She abruptly stopped. She narrowed her eyes and she rapidly scanned the gathered seated officers, "Oi! Sawadane! Are you hiding in there?"

There was no answer.

"Huh, so he's -"

"Captain Ishihara! I apologize for being late! I have no excuse as to why this happened, I only ask that you punish me solely, and not the others! I do not want them to suffer for my blunder!" Aekichi appeared with a 'swoosh', the distinct sound of Shunpo. He was panting; his hair a mess and a few dirt spots were visible on the white of his shihakusho. He still stood stalk straight, arms at his sides and head held high.

Sakuya stared at him unblinkingly, an emotionless deadpan. She stood up and she brought her shinai with her. She shouldered the bamboo sword, "Sawadane, take your spot," She commanded, jerking her head toward the other officers.

"Yes ma'am!" His voice was a tad high-pitched. He was quick to take his spot.

Captain Sakuya looked her subordinates up and down. They didn't so much as bat an eyelash under her gaze, "Kendo motions, swords unsheathed. Now," One by one the seated officers of Squad Six unsheathed their zanpakuto. They gripped the hilt with both hands, one under the guard and one gripping the pommel. They slid their lead foot forward, and slight bent both legs at the knees. She smiled seeing the gleam of their sword blades, and the fear reflected in the steel. One slip up and someone was going to end either misplacing a limb or their life.

"Double time this morning!" She shouted, hopping down from the wooden deck, "Anyone who falls out of sync with the rest will be swiftly struck! Three strikes and you run from here to the Squad Seven barracks five times, and to clarify for those hard of hearing, from there and back is one lap. Once you've finished running then you come back here immediately! If you are sent to run again, it will be ten, and the number doubles every time! Am I understood?" She smacked an average sized stone with the shinai, creating a noise which caused a few of them to jump.

Almost all of them visibly paled seeing that same rock split in two.

"Ma'am! Yes, Ma'am! Captain Ishihara!" They chorused. She smirked with a bit of pride. She was tough on them for a reason. Her squad was a well-oiled machine.

"Good! Wonderful! You're all well-trained, fit as horses, so this shouldn't be an issue for any of you! But, I should say this for that one special heckler out there who wants to blame someone for this extra-hard day of training: Don't leave your comrades behind!" She smirked seeing several of them grimace. She also noticed Aekichi smile, if only for a second before their eyes met. He faced forward and stood stock still.

"And you were late, Sawadane. If you fall out of sync, then you immediately do ten!" Seeing his adam's apple bob up and down filled her with pride and joy. She truly loved her job, her position as a Captain in the Guard Squads.

"Don't you think that's a bit much, Captain?"

"You want to join them, Naosuke?" She glanced over her shoulder. She smiled, "You're free to join, but you should know, as my Lieutenant, you're laps, if you were to slip up, will be twenty from the start. But, you're very skilled, so I'm sure you'll be fine."

Naosuke sweatdropped and he raised his hands in front of him, "No, no I think I'll sit this one out, ehehe…"

"Good, then get your butt over to Squad Seven, stand in front of the gate and make sure these bastards do the full lap," Naosuke nodded his head and disappeared from sight.

"Hop to it, maggots! I wanna see you all sweat! C'mon C'mon!" She started toward them and walked all around them, stopping now and again. Sometimes it was off to the side to inspect the group as a whole, other times she stopped directly beside a singled out Soul Reaper. She would lean in, narrow her eyes and watch them like a hawk would its prey, just waiting for it to make one false move, a misstep and it would strike.

"Shiranui, speed up your sword strokes! Namome, your lead leg is far enough forward, you're losing power in the downward swing! Sawadane, do I see you slowing down back there?!" The baggy clothes they wore did nothing to soften the blow. Against their Captain and her powerful swing, it was nothing but paper.

"Aekichi!" She shouted as she swung.

"Yaaaah!" He nearly buckled feeling the sharp, stinging pain as her shinai made contact with the back of his leg. His legs wobbled, but he remained standing, "Sorry Captain, sir! I – I mean Ma'am! I – Yaaah!" He received another sharp smack to the back of his leg.

"You faltered again! That's three! Laps! Now! Run!"

"Yes Captain!"

* * *

**Aaaaand End.**

**That was it for Chapter one.**

Character Spot

**Aekichi Sawadane **– One of our protagonists. He's a shy, not-so-badass kid protagonist. Hanataro was somewhat of an inspiration for this character. I only realized the similarities when I started writing, and at that point I didn't want to go back on it. But they're different enough to me, and that's what matters.

**Sakuya Ishihara **– Three swords. You read that right. That little ditty, if you haven't guessed, was inspired by Roronoa Zoro from One Piece. I just love the idea of someone using three swords, it's just so cool!

**Other facts… **

A **shinai **is basically a bamboo sword used in Kendo.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

* * *

Squad Eleven - It was the first line of defense for the soul Society in times of war. Their abilities with Kido were non-existent, for each and every member, the Captain included. Their skills in Hakuda, one of the Soul Reaper's basic fighting styles revolving around unarmed combat, varied between mediocre and skilled. As did their Hohou skills. Zanjutsu, sword combat, is where they all excelled. Any unseated member of Squad Eleven could fight on equal footing with a seated officer of any other squad in sword fight.

A century ago they had begun construction on it. Decades later it was complete. A coliseum, whose walls were made of grey sekkiseki rock, and the stands made of simple stone. Two white banners were flown proudly over the two gates. One bared the crest of Squad Eleven and the other bared the Kanji for 'Sword'.

"Tomoki! Taro!" Two Soul Reapers stood on opposite sides, one male and one female. Several Soul Reapers sat in the stands, watching, waiting for the sparring match to begin. From atop a viewing box, a man stood there with his arms crossed, a white haori draped over his shoulders billowing in the win, "You two will start when I give the order! Konosuke! Juzo! On my command, you'll jump in as well! Understood?"

"Yes, Captain!" Two men on the sidelines of the arena exclaimed in unison.

Taro Sugita, the fourth seat of Squad Eleven. A young-looking man with a strong build to match. His dark brown hair was styled in a manner that had it sticking straight up, with a few loose hairs hanging down over the headband he wore around his forehead. His dull, hazel eyes were fixed on the girl across from him: His opponent.

Tomoki Yano, the fifth seat of Squad Eleven. He long, dark brown hair was fixed in to a high ponytail, wrapped with red ribbon, so that it only reached her upper back. Her green eyes were set in a glare, her brow furrowed.

Taro wrapped his hand around the hilt of his zanpakuto and Tomoki crossed her arms to grab the hilt of the zanpakuto on opposite sides.

"Begin!" He commanded with a wave of his arm. The two of them immediately jumped in to action. Tomoki spun around with her two katana pointing in the same direction, Taro countered her with a simple downward slash. Sparks scattered as steel met steel and Taro was quick to push her back.

"Hmph…" He shunpoed behind her and thrust his sword toward her shoulder. Tomoki blocked and then parried. She spun around slashed at him, but he was gone just as her cutting edge met his shihakusho. Taro appeared some feet back from where he was, and Tomoki smirked. There was small cut in the side of his shihakusho.

"Got you, Taro. You're slowing down there," She laughed.

"I had a big breakfast," He replied. The two of them began to strafe around the large kanji for eleven set in a white circle at the center of the arena, "Gonna make a move any time soon, fifth seat?" Taro asked her.

"Actually… Yes!" The two of them used shunpo at the same and they crossed swords in mid-air. Taro won the contest of strength and forced Tomoki on to the ground below them. He lashed out with kick, which she nimbly dodged and he gyrated in the air, slashing at her from her blind spot. Tomoki crossed her swords behind her head and the moment steel met steel she disappeared from sight.

"Hmph," Taro did the same and the ended up in their previous spots on either side of the circle.

"Konosuke!" The Captain exclaimed, "Join the fray!"

"Hahah!" A giant of a man laughed as he shunpoed on to the battlefield. He stopped in between Taro and Tomoki just as they were about to clash. He stood several feet taller than them both . With one he hand he brandished a battle axe with an iron shaft as tall as his own body with a ring at the end. He swung it like it weighed next to nothing, attacking Tomoki with a downward slash. The girl reeled back, losing her composure and showing a bit of fear in the shadow of this man.

He whirled around and blocked an attack Taro, and sent the man flying away. Tomoki took a single step back, seeing a chance to put distance between herself and the giant, but froze. Konosuke set his sights on her, a wicked grin spread across his face.

"What's wrong, Yano?" He asked with a mocking grin, "Scared?!" His battle axe slammed down at her feet, and she was blown away by the shockwave the impact created. Tomoki hit the ground and she bounced up. She used it to flip on to her feet, and to her horror the man had closed the distance between them. This time he swung from the side this time…

Her eyes narrowed, "Tall Bastard!" She cursed. She did not run! She blocked his attack with both of her swords. The force of his swing caused her to slide along the ground. Tomoki growled, and dug her heels in to the ground with such force to halt herself she dug shallow ruts through the ground.

"Haaa - Agh!" With an incredible burst of strength she pushed Konosuke zanpakuto away and lunged at him. He may have had the height advantage, but that also put him at a disadvantage against her. Tomoki thrust the hilt of her zanpakuto in to the Lieutenant's stomach and forced him back several feet.

"Juzo!" The Captain exclaimed. A rotund man came flying on to the thick of the battle, crashing in to Konosuke just as he came to a halt and knocking the giant of a man to the ground.

"Ooooooh Yeah!" Juzo yelled at the top of his lungs, briefly stopping the fighting. He was certainly the largest of them in body mass. He was quite rotund. His black hair was styled in to a short pompadour, which was slightly receding on either side, something he vehemently defended as a 'choice of fashion'. He raised his sword and sheath over his head and let out a battle cry, "Ooooooh Yyyyeeeah! I'm gonna Wiiiiiinnn!"

He was Juzo Matsubara, the third seat of Squad Eleven.

The three of them readied themselves for a fight while Juzo kept ranting and raving, "Keep tellin' yourself that, Juzo," Konosuke said, a grin stretching across his face and stretching the x-shaped scar that marred his face, "Put those words behind your blade!"

The fat man froze, _'Shit! I thought that would by me some time!' _

"And fight for real!" The three of them charge toward the center where Juzo stood.

"Aaagh!"

"Haaagh!"

"Yyyyyeah!"

"Aahahahaha! This is good sparring session, this is! Indeed it is! Ahahahaha!" The Captain laughed from his seat on the balcony railing overlooking the arena grounds. He watched them exchange blows again, and again, and again! Each collision of steel and steel, he could feel the ringing reverberate in his very soul! It made his blood hot! A grin stretched across his tanned face and he stood up, "Now is a good a time as any! Konosuke! Juzo! Taro! Tomoki!" He announced their names one by one and the fighting ceased, all eyes were on him now.

Takeshi took up his zanpakuto, a sheathed nodachi as tall as him, and began to spin it over his head. The winds it created were strong enough to kick up small waves of dust on the ground level, "Ahahahaha!" He let out a wicked, howling laughter as he leaped in to the air. The four of them quickly jumped back as he approached the ground.

He hit the arena floor with such force that the four of them, even the giant Konosuke and the heavy set Juzo, were forced against the arena wall. A smoke cloud filled the arena but was quickly pushed upwards and out. In the center stood their Captain, the tip of his sheathed zanpakuto embedded in the ground beside him, "All of you! You will fight _me_! Release your Shikai! Do not hold back! I will take all repercussions upon myself! I want a good fight!" He told them.

"Of course, Captain!" Konosuke obliged.

"Could be fun…" Taro murmured.

Juzo gulped, but got in a fighting stance with his zanpakuto. Tomoki stumbled in getting her footing, but she corrected her mistake. She could feel her hands shaking – Was it because she was in the Captain's presence. He was a powerful man, constantly releasing a minute amount of spiritual pressure, because of his poor control. To a fifth seat like herself, it was quite overwhelming.

She steeled her nerves and readied herself for battle. Captain Takeshi looked them over once more and threw his head back, barking laughter echoing through the arena, "Ahahah! All right! This kind of fire is what I like to see!" He opened his arms wide to them, as if welcoming their attacks, "ATTACK ME!"

All four seated officers charged in, glowing with power.

"Stampede!"

"Divide!"

"Bi – Wah!" Tomoki disappeared from the battlefield just as they were about to collide. The explosion was large – The entire inside was filled with smoke and it exploded out the top in a large mushroom shaped plume.

"What the hell! Who's the wise guy th – uh! H – Hasao!" Tomoki gasped. Her cheeks flushed red when she laid her eyes upon the blond that had taken her away from the battle.

He flashed her a stupid grin, and said "So, do I get a thank you kiss for saving ya?" He asked, leaning toward her. Tomoki's eyes narrowed. In one swift movement she partially drew one of her zanpakuto from its sheath, enough it slam the butt of the hilt in to his chin.

Hasao Katsutoshi, the fifth seat of Squad Three. His dirty blond hair was a shaggy mess around his head. He kept his bangs pulled back with a black hair band, though a few stray strands fell down over his forehead. He kept his sleeves rolled up and tied there

"Hasao, you jackass! Don't interfere with my fights!" She shouted at him. Kazuo looked up from his doubled-over position, smiling weakly while he held his bruised chin.

"Aw, don't be like that, Tomo-chan… I was ju -" He was silenced by a direct hit to his forehead courtesy of Tomoki and the butt of her hilt, "Agh! That one really hurt! Ah…" He rubbed the growing red spot on his forehead.

"And don't call me Tomo-_chan_ either!" She harshly whispered, trying to remain quiet, "At least... Not around the others…" She had quieted down quite a bit. Her cheeks were tinted red. She glanced down at the arena where Taro, Juzo and Konosuke were still collecting themselves and getting their wits about them after their Captain's harsh attack. She felt very lucky none of them had heard that.

"I like my pet name for you," Hasao said with a kind smile.

"This is Squad Eleven, you dolt! No pet names! I'm the fifth seat, so I have to command some respect!" She looked around to make sure no other members of her squad were looking at them.

"Well, Tomo_ki_…" He put extra emphasis on the end of her name, "You know I wouldn't get in the middle of something unless I had to. I did need to tell you something."

"Okay, spill it…"

"Aekichi's down at the Squad Four barracks."

"Ehhh?! Why didn't you say so earlier, jackass!?"

* * *

**Fourth Squad Medical Barracks**

"Coming through! We've got at least a dozen Soul Reapers coming in!"

Heads turned in time to see a male Soul Reaper burst in. He turned his back to the rest of the room and waved his arms, making a 'come forward' motion. Members of Squad Four filed in rather quickly with two to a gurney, carrying groaning, red-faced and panting Soul Reapers, "The majority of them are here for heat exhaustion. Nothing severe, but I want ice water here for all of them and quick."

"Yes sir!" Several Soul Reapers jogged out the door.

"Captain Ishihara…" A tall man stood from his desk in a far corner of the room. He stood several heads taller than most of the other Soul Reapers in the room. What was visible of him, his head, hands and feet, were wrapped in white bandages. Not a strand of hair poked out either. His eyes, sclera included, were dull grey in color. His white Captain's haori billowing behind him as he walked, "Working her squad in such heat… Unsurprising…"

He stopped in the middle of the room and he placed his hands together in front of his chest is if in prayer and he closed his eyes, "This will soothe your tired bodies…" A blue aura surrounded his hands and a white mist was exuded, creeping down toward the floor. He pulled his hands apart for a moment, with a quick, sharp clap of his hands, a blue pulse spread out from him throughout the room.

Many of the Soul Reapers there from Captain Sakuya's training released shuddering breaths. Some shivered. They seemed to calm down nonetheless.

Captain Harudo Ranmata, an incredibly tall and lanky man. From head to toe he was wrapped in white bandages. Only his eyes were visible, those dull grey eyes.

"Usagi, I want you and third seat Manami to make sure these Soul Reapers are looked after. Captain Sakuya will want them back at the barrack by tonight."

"Yessir, Cap'n!~"

"Aye…"

His orange haired Lieutenant bounced happily with her clipboard in hand, her curved cowlick at the crown of her head bobbing along with her, going around from patient to patient with his less than enthusiastic third seat in tow. They made a good pair, especially when healing was involved. Usagi was talented, but she was quick to act, while Manami would make sure to check everything. She was meticulous, if just a bit slow when moving about and shy when it came to the patients.

He nodded his head before going back to his desk. There hadn't been any Hollow based injuries as of late, no serious injuries that needed his tending to. His only assignments as Captain were paperwork from Central 46, and anesthesia for patients.

"Excuse me! Comin' through!"

"Sorry… Sorry… Whoops! Sorry about that, she is in a hurry! Sorry…"

Captain Harudo looked toward the entrance to resting area, and he could see his squad members stumbling, being pushed aside, but amongst the throng of black clad Soul Reapers, he could only see a pair of heads moving faster than the rest. They were moving through the middle, against the line heading to get water, and flowing with those that were coming back, bumping in to all of them, or, he guessed, pushing them aside.

"Aekichi! … Aekichi!" A familiar face appeared as she broke free of the crowd. Tomoki Yano, a 'local' at Squad Four along with most other members of Squad Eleven. If she ever came around, another dozen or so usual followed whose injuries she was the cause of.

"Captain Ranmata!" she jogged up to him and quickly bowed. She was panting, no doubt out of breath from running here and fighting against the crowd on her way in, "Where's Aekichi?"

The Captain slowly raised his arm to point in the direction of a cot at the other end of the room, "Make sure to keep your voices down," Tomoki nodded her head quickly, and made her way over to her friend's cot, with Kazuo in tow.

"Perhaps I should speak with Captain Ishihara about her training methods…" He murmured to himself.

Tomoki was the first to reach her downed friend. She was somewhat relieved actually. She had figured Aekichi had been hurt or something, but like most if not all of them there, he was over-exerted, red in the face and tired. A member of Squad Four came over with a bucket of ice water, and he began to soak a cloth in the bucket, but Tomoki put a hand on his chest.

"I'll help him," she said. He nodded reluctantly, but he could see the look in her eyes, and he jogged off. Tomoki took the cloth from the bucket, she twisted it to get rid of the excess and she folded it over Aekichi's forehead. The blue-haired Soul Reaper flinched.

"Aekichi? You awake there?" Hasao asked, lightly nudging the Soul Reaper's covered foot.

Aekichi shifted. He weakly opened his eyes, and he glanced around. When his eyes fell upon two familiar faces his lips turned up in to a small smile.

"Tomoki… Hasaoo… Nice to see you…" He paused for a moment so that he could look around, "…Squad Four… What happened?" Aekichi lifted himself up slightly, but Tomoki stopped him by placing her hand on his chest, "Are we under attack? What happened to Squad Six?"

Hasao chuckled and Tomoki shook her head, "Dumbass… No, Soul Society isn't under attack," She gently pushed him down, and Aekichi seemed to calm down, "If I had to guess, you passed out during training… A lot of Soul Reapers did by the looks of it," She jerked her head toward the rest of the room, and Kazuo motioned to them all.

"Training? … Oh… Oh, that's right… We were training," Aekichi grimaced, "It… It was awful… So much running."

Hasao snickered, "It couldn't have been that bad now."

"It was!" Almost the whole room stated this, much to their surprise.

"See?" Aekichi certainly wasn't exaggerating this time. They spotted seated officers higher in ranks than Aekichi, red in the face, and panting like dehydrated dogs, "Captain Ishihara… Captain Ishihara…" He weakly motioned for Tomoki to move closer. She leaned in…

"What about Captain Ishihara?" Tomoki asked him, Hasao leaned in to listen as well.

"Yeah… What about me, Ninth seat Sawadane?" All three of them froze. Aekichi suddenly sat up, butting heads with Tomoki in the process, but he kept going until he was sitting up straight.

"Nothing ma'am! You are the most effective leader! The best Captain, ma'am! I was going to tell me friends that they should think about changing squads, ma'am!" Aekichi exclaimed. Several other Soul Reapers sat up like he had, stiff as boards, facing forward.

"Is that so, eh? You'd want them to leave their ranked seats for lower seats, or potentially unseated positions in my squad, eh? Are you trying to ruin their military careers, Sawadane?! Is that something you want?!"

"NO Ma'am!" Aekichi shouted in a rather high-pitched tone, "I was… I wa… I was just…" He started to sway. His red cheeks flushed a deeper shade. His eyes rolled back. Aekichi fell back with a thud, unconscious.

Captain Sakuya smirked, "Ah, that's always so entertaining…" She sighed wistfully. She looked around at the rest of her subordinates, stilling sitting up straight in her presence, "All of you, at ease. Rest, because you're gonna need your strength."

"Yes ma'am…" They sighed, lying back down and relaxing in their cots.

"Captain Sakuya, might I ask what brings you here?" Their heads turned to see Captain Ranmata making his way toward them, "And why you are creating such a commotion?"

"Tch, they're my subordinates. I came to check up on them… And give them a little scare for the fun of it," She said with a smirk.

"Nonetheless, they're patients. _My _patients. Stress is not good for them, not when they're physically exhausted," Captain Ranmata replied.

"Yeah yeah… Listen up members of Squad Six. There will be no training session tomorrow," Sighs of relief and weak chuckles sounded throughout the room. Captain Sakuya tapped the floor with one of her zanpakuto and her squad members went silent, "Tomorrow. Sake party at nineteen hundred hours!"

"Yay!/ You're the greatest! / All right!" Now it was cheers all around at their Captain's latest announcement. With another tap of her sheathed zanpakuto against the medical barrack's hardwood floor, they were silenced.

"Rest up now!" She exclaimed. A moment later she was gone in an instant using Shunpo.

Captain Ranmata slowly shook his head. That woman was quite something. She never stopped, and thusly her Squad never stopped. If they weren't training, then they were drinking, "Third seat Manami, take a few personnel with you and take stock of our medication for intoxication. Make sure we're in good supply."

"Yes sir…" She drawled with a lazy wave.

Captain Ranmata turned on Aekichi's visitors, "Fifth seat Yano and fifth seat Katsutoshi, your friend needs his rest. I ask that you leave, he should be well enough to leave by tomorrow."

"Yes, Captain," Hasaoo said as he stood up. Both he had Tomoki bowed to him out of respect, "Sorry if we caused any trouble. Later, Aekichi…" Both of them said their goodbyes to their unconscious friend, and they made their way to the exit.

Captain Ranmata placed his hands together and he released another wave of cold to soothe his patients.

* * *

**And that's all folks.**


End file.
